A software package for the decomposition of long-term multichannel EMG signals using wavelet coefficients

This paper presents a method to decompose multichannel long-term intramuscular electromyogram (EMG) signals. In contrast to existing decomposition methods which only support short registration periods or single-channel recordings of signals of constant muscle effort, the decomposition software EMG-LODEC (ElectroMyoGram LOng-term DEComposition) is especially designed for multichannel long-term recordings of signals of slight muscle movements. A wavelet-based, hierarchical cluster analysis algorithm estimates the number of classes [motor units (MUs)], distinguishes single MUAPs from superpositions, and sets up the shape of the template for each class. Using three channels and a weighted averaging method to track action potential (AP) shape changes improve the analysis. In the last step, nonclassified segments, i.e., segments containing superimposed APs, are decomposed into their units using class-mean signals. Based on experiments on simulated and long-term recorded EMG signals, our software is capable of providing reliable decompositions with satisfying accuracy. EMG-LODEC is suitable for the study of MU discharge patterns and recruitment order in healthy subjects and patients during long-term measurements.

[1]  O. Rioul,et al.  Wavelets and signal processing , 1991, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine.

[2]  Jelena Kovacevic,et al.  Wavelets and Subband Coding , 2013, Prentice Hall Signal Processing Series.

[3]  I. Daubechies.  Ten Lectures on Wavelets , 1992 .

[4]  George S. Moschytz,et al.  High-precision EMG signal decomposition using communication techniques , 2000, IEEE Trans. Signal Process..

[5]  M. Hagberg,et al.  Prevalence rates and odds ratios of shoulder-neck diseases in different occupational groups. , 1987, British journal of industrial medicine.

[6]  J. Fang,et al.  Decomposition of multiunit electromyographic signals , 1999, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[7]  Thomas Läubli,et al.  A method to test reliability and accuracy of the decomposition of multi-channel long-term intramuscular EMG signal recordings , 2002 .

[8]  Ronald S. Lefever,et al.  A Procedure for Decomposing the Myoelectric Signal Into Its Constituent Action Potentials - Part I: Technique, Theory, and Implementation , 1982, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[9]  G. S. Moschytz,et al.  Electromyogram decomposition using the single-lineage clustering algorithm and wavelets , 1999, ICECS'99. Proceedings of ICECS '99. 6th IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits and Systems (Cat. No.99EX357).

[10]  Todd P. Stitik,et al.  Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs): A Reference Book for Prevention , 1996 .

[11]  Kevin C. McGill,et al.  Automatic decomposition electromyography , 1985 .

[12]  M.H. Hassoun,et al.  NNERVE: Neural Network Extraction of Repetitive Vectors for Electromyography. I. Algorithm , 1994, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[13]  D. W. Stashuk,et al.  Supervised classification of motor unit action potentials based on estimates of classification certainty , 1993, Proceedings of the 15th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Societ.

[14]  George S. Moschytz,et al.  A New Framework and Computer Program for Quantitative EMG Signal Analysis , 1984, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[15]  Dario Farina,et al.  A model for the generation of synthetic intramuscular EMG signals to test decomposition algorithms , 2001, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[16]  Richard O. Duda,et al.  Pattern classification and scene analysis , 1974, A Wiley-Interscience publication.

[17]  Ronald S. Lefever,et al.  A Procedure for Decomposing the Myoelectric Signal Into Its Constituent Action Potentials-Part II: Execution and Test for Accuracy , 1982, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[18]  George S. Moschytz,et al.  Electromyogram data compression using single-tree and modified zero-tree wavelet encoding , 1998, Proceedings of the 20th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Vol.20 Biomedical Engineering Towards the Year 2000 and Beyond (Cat. No.98CH36286).

[19]  Kevin C. McGill,et al.  High-Resolution Alignment of Sampled Waveforms , 1984, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[20]  S. Mallat.  A wavelet tour of signal processing , 1998 .

[21]  D W Stashuk,et al.  Decomposition and quantitative analysis of clinical electromyographic signals. , 1999, Medical engineering & physics.

[22]  George S. Moschytz,et al.  An Algorithm for Sequential Signal Estimation and System Identification for EMG Signals , 1984, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[23]  Constantinos S. Pattichis,et al.  Classification performance of motor unit action potential features , 1994, Proceedings of 16th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[24]  E Stålberg,et al.  Multi-MUP EMG analysis--a two year experience in daily clinical work. , 1995, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[25]  Erik Stålberg,et al.  Multi-MUP EMG analysis - a two year experience with a quantitative method in daily routine. , 1995 .

[26]  Kevin C. McGill,et al.  Automatic Decomposition of the Clinical Electromyogram , 1985, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[27]  Karlheinz Reiners,et al.  Altered mechanisms of muscular force generation in lower motor neuron disease , 1989, Muscle & nerve.

[28]  D Stashuk,et al.  EMG signal decomposition: how can it be accomplished and used? , 2001, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[29]  C. D. De Luca,et al.  Behaviour of human motor units in different muscles during linearly varying contractions , 1982, The Journal of physiology.

[30]  Peter Theodor Wellig,et al.  Zerlegung von Langzeit-Elektromyogrammen zur Prävention von arbeitsbedingten Muskelschäden , 2000 .

[31]  C. D. De Luca,et al.  Control scheme governing concurrently active human motor units during voluntary contractions , 1982, The Journal of physiology.

[32]  R Merletti,et al.  Evaluation of intra-muscular EMG signal decomposition algorithms. , 2001, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.